I wanted relate an experience a good friend had with Game Crazy. She wanted to pick up a Nintendo Wii, but the local Game Crazy was out. However, she got placed on a waiting list by leaving a deposit. The store promised to call when the unit arrived. After waiting quite some time, she called the store to get a status. The friendly representative said that the unit was in and that she needed to pick it up that day. She asked for a few days since she didn’t have the time that day, nor did she want to pay the $700 in gas it would have taken to make the 60 mile round trip. The friendly representative refused. They said the unit had already been in for 3 days, so they couldn’t hold it any longer. My friend explained that she never received a notification that it had arrived. She wasn’t asking for any special treatment–just the 3 days to pick it up that they were offering everyone else. The pea brain store representative couldn’t get it through their skull what she was trying to explain and insisted that the Wii had to be picked up that day or they would sell it to someone else.
How stupid can they be? They had a deposit in hand and the Wii was in such short supply that they could have easily sold the unit if she didn’t show up within a few days. There was no financial downside to Game Crazy to provide good customer service. The only financial downside is if you piss off the customer and then they tell others and then someone posts a blog entry about it. Now the financial losses are starting to mount.
That’s the staff of Dad In The Headlights looking out for you, the consumer.
Dad in the Headlights 
February 12, 2008 at 12:10 am
Don’t blame them, just look for a Wii like everyone else..its fun!
February 12, 2008 at 12:22 am
Need a little more than that, bud. I’ll blame them all I want until you have something compelling. And you don’t.
May 4, 2008 at 3:34 pm
wii sucks, at so does your friend
May 4, 2008 at 9:52 pm
wow, aren’t you clever?
July 31, 2008 at 1:06 pm
By the way a 60 mile round trip is not 700 bucks
August 19, 2008 at 9:55 pm
It is sad, when gamecrazy first moved in down the street from my house they were great. Especially since it was a 45 minute drive to the nearest game store before that. The staff was friendly and knew much about games. But my last trip was less than enjoyable. We had reserved Unreal Tournament for xbox 360. We received the notification that our copy had arrived so off we were. Fortunately we have become friends with one of the workers and so usually when he is there we do not run into any problems but when he is not there, nothing goes smoothly. Our friend was not working that day and we were told our copy had been sold. Huh, we said dumbfounded.
As for Gamecrazy, I believe that it was sold to another awhile back which is when it started its downfall. The great costumer concerned store is no longer available and has been replaced with the profit longing monster that we all must deal with.
August 20, 2008 at 11:50 am
I’m assuming it’s a store to store policy, but when I worked there we were always told, “Call them and tell them they have 24 hours to pick it up.” After that, we move on to the next person.
And as far as leaving a deposit, that’s kinda weird. Our store would always just put your name on a wishlist and call you when we got them in. The only thing we took money from were preorders.
Not all Game Crazy’s are like the one you mentioned, but then again a lot of them have a different policies. I feel the same way about Game Stop. Some are bad, some are good.
August 23, 2008 at 5:42 am
You get one bad experience from a company and hate them, but completely disregard all the times when you had great experiences with them and throw those out the window.
Store policy for GameCrazy’s is exactly as Alice the Sister stated: no deposits are required for wishlisted items, and you have 24 hours to pick up the item before they move on to the next person on the list.
August 24, 2008 at 10:40 am
Incorrect. I haven’t had any good experiences there. They truly do suck.
August 26, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Unfortunately this individuals experience was not so great. A deposit is not required for wishlisting, in fact it against company policy to hold a wii. This has never happened to anyone I have ever known shopping at any gamecrazy. Its one store, don’t blame the behavior of one incident and one store for the integrity of a whole franchise. Honestly game crazy is a fantastic alternative to the uptight, snobbish employees of GameStop. I have had countless enjoyable memories of Gamecrazy. Also if the trip was going to cost so much why not spend three fifty to four hundred online and save her a grip? I think this story really doesn’t make a lot of sense.
August 27, 2008 at 9:12 am
Hmmm, i don’t know who to blame on this one.
Gamecrazy: Most likely run by either part time, high school students OR people that are in transition from one job to another. They don’t intend to stay there forever so they don’t care what happens. They will just go to the manager and let them know what happened. If you had to answer the same questions all the time from phone calls of kids asking “Do you have this game in” and “is this game any good” i could see how you would forget to call people about their Wii’s. I myself have been told by video game stores (all of them i add) that yes, we will let you know when it comes in only to find out i was never put on the list or they just HAPPEN to get the item in the day i called. I could see how your friend would be upset.
Your friend: How long was “quite some time” that they waited? Come on, this is a Wii. the most sought after video game system to date and you let it go “quite some time” before you call to see if they got it in. You have to have heard about people calling every day or waiting in line when the store opens to check their availability. Your friend did not do their diligences to get what they wanted. Relying on a store (or any business) to call you is like relying on 911 calling you when you hurt yourself.
You ask, how stupid can they be? I think you answered your own questions. Ok, so they don’t sell the Wii to your friend. They will sell it to someone else. Thats a sell for Gamecrazy. And if you say that it takes “$700” ( i assume that is supposed to be $70. I will chock that up to the many grammatical errors i see in this hastily written post). in gas to get to the store, i would assume your friend is not going to drive to that store to get their deposit back. Your friend just lost out on a Wii and a deposit. No skin off Gamecrazy’s back.
As quoted from your blog: “The only financial downside is if you piss off the customer and then they tell others and then someone posts a blog entry about it. Now the financial losses are starting to mount.” WOW, you are a little conceded don’t you think? How many people do you think READS your blog AND shops at Gamecrazy?
Gamecrazy is NOT going to go out of business, not going to loose profit and NOT going to loose a customer base because ONE person did not get a Wii and posted a blog about it.
August 27, 2008 at 10:44 am
All I’m saying is that for long term success, a business should look to bend over backwards and provide outstanding service versus pissing people off for the quick buck.
As for the $700 comment, you must not be a regular reader and do not understand my brand of rant/exaggeration/humor that I sometimes go into.
August 31, 2008 at 9:11 am
my local gamecrazy used to be great and they were so helpful. now theyve come under new managment and they suck. they infource every rule and regulation to the dot. now i cant preorder anything or trade anything because im not eighteen yet. and they dont even want me in their without someone over eighteen. how stupid can they be. because i now bring my money to gamestop.
September 2, 2008 at 1:43 pm
I work at a GameCrazy now. One problem, can stem from district to district and store to store. Yes, it’s one whole company, but if there is one District Manager (or any manager) who is crazy and an asshole and just wants good sales numbers, then of course it will be a crappy experience. Where I work we pride ourselves on the ability to help the customer as much as possible. Whether its saving money and getting the used copy (with GameGaurd so even if you snap it in half, you can get a new copy free), or just trying our hardest to make you as happy as possible. We know that for us, better customer service and no sales today, will turn around and mean better sales and more customers tomorrow.
As for the not holding the Wii, what you need to understand is that the Wii was moving so fast that NO one was allowed to keep it in the store for that long. So albeit someone slipped up and missed calling her when they were supposed to, they had to keep the Wii’s moving. What the correct response to your friend not being able to get it that day should have been was, “I’m sorry we didn’t call you, it must have been a slip-up. Unfortunately, we have to keep these Wii’s moving, but I will make sure personally that you will get the next one that comes through the store.”
Generally (and not because I work there), I would say GameCrazy>GameStop. I go there because GameCrazy give better money for trade-in and better prices for used games. Many years ago, I found that out when I was trading in Mario Tennis for the N64. GameStop said they would give me $5 for it. GameCrazy ended up giving me almost $25. So, I have always preferred the way GameCrazy did their trade-in values.
September 15, 2009 at 8:18 am
I don’t know, I work at a game stop and it seems like all they care about is getting those MVPS moving and not really helping the customers other then that.
They also seem really into taking peoples money for no reason
Oh well…
i gotta head off to work now.
Wah
September 7, 2008 at 11:04 am
Hmmm that’s interesting because the gamecrazy I go to in Oak Lawn,Ill. the 2 kids there are nice,polite,courteous and very helpful one even suggested I try out the games first because I would have just walked out the store with them. Maybe that’s the people where you go to some places have great service some don’t just have to know where to look.
September 7, 2008 at 8:20 pm
Your stupid it’s not you that had a problem first and second your friends whole story could be made up maybe they did call her but she just didn’t have the cash. If she couldn’t come up with the money to drive 60 miles then she didn’t have the money to pick up the system. I’m a customer service specialist for new wave training and the day of the customer is always right has ended because it’s buried many companies. Plus that myth of an upset person tells 10 people is just that a myth we surveyed people on this and the fact is they would still try a store before listening to a friend. A little lesson you learn from sales is that if the upset person is a jerk there friends know that and don’t care what they have to say. So I’m willing to bet your friends a jerk and broke and your a loser with a big mouth that doesn’t really know what happened you just found a blog to post on
September 23, 2008 at 9:28 am
Thank you, pwned, i agree whole heartedly, gamecrazy rocks….that is all 🙂
September 27, 2008 at 8:45 am
I WILL NEVER GO BACK TO GAME CRAZY BECAUSE I RESERVED A GAME AND THEY NEVER CALLED BACK SO I HAD TO CALL BACK AND THEY SAID THAT THE GAME HAS BEEN THERE IN JUNE BUT THEY NEVER CALLED…………………………………………………………………………………………………..I WAS THERE BEST COSTMER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 27, 2008 at 2:39 pm
HOW MUCH MONEY DO THEY GIVE YOU FOR GAMES [] ;
September 27, 2008 at 2:40 pm
how much money does gamecrazy give you for games
September 27, 2008 at 2:42 pm
WO PUT IT IN TWICE
September 27, 2008 at 2:44 pm
MY XBOX BROKE AND IM SAD ] :
September 28, 2008 at 10:16 pm
JP: Sorry, this is not a personal shopping service. Go figure it out for yourself.
October 5, 2008 at 11:03 pm
“The pea brain store representative couldn’t get it through their skull what she was trying to explain and insisted that the Wii had to be picked up that day or they would sell it to someone else.”
I assure you- the representative DID understand the situation. and i can ASSURE you – they could do NOTHING.
They honestly can get in to deep shit for holding a hot system longer then the given grace period. Im sorry but no ones going to put there job in danger- even a shitty one.
Granted your friend likely didn’t receive the call- That or you were given an exaggerated version of the story – i find it really convenient that she picked a random day to call and O-hey! that’s the last of the three day holding period!
but honestly. the company structure of game crazy is flawed. They push sales numbers, if you or your staff do not meet said numbers you are let go. Simple as that. Because of that structure- some district managers and store managers are insanely strict on system holding dates.
Some stores take that to the negative extreme and feel they have to sacrifice customer service in a shitty economy to get by any way possible. Some stores don’t. .
Your mocking of a single employee is just rude and stupid- being as the employee was trying to be nice – (pr your own admission) Despite being sympathetic to your friends situation – the GameCrazy’s employees hands are tied . No need to be a dick about it.
Don’t blame the employee who’s likley a kid out of high school or a collage kid, for a stupid store policy. Take the grievance with corporate. Don’t blame the individual trying to keep there job.
October 6, 2008 at 1:40 pm
u think thats bad?
ur so stupid.
let me share a story with you
i called my local gamestop store to purchase silent hill homecoming and i wanted to make sure they had it before i went there. who ever answered the phone told me they had one last copy. when i got there little bithes didnt want to sell it to me because one of they workers wanted to get it for himself.
u r mad cause they had sold out
im mad cause even when they have it they dont want to sell it
so FUCK GAMESTOP!!!!
October 11, 2008 at 4:10 pm
Reality check! We’re talking about game systems here, not life and death items.
Patience works wonders in all things. I went through the same waiting period for my Wii system, and my son manages a Game Crazy. It’s amazing how you can entertain yourself with many other things while waiting for a game/system to come in.
Additionally, I think showing everyone respect is the best way to receive respect and good service in return.
October 11, 2008 at 4:23 pm
Funny, cuz I have nothing but great experiences from GameCrazy. Me and my friend go there every Friday. Not even to buy something. Half the time it’s just to talk to the employees cause they are great to talk to. I love GameCrazy. Atleast the one I have been going to.
November 7, 2008 at 12:21 pm
youre an idiot! all gamecrazys are diiferent. i dont think theyre gonna loose any business over a blog that 10 ppl have seen. my local gamecrazy is great. theyre is a guy there that gives me free mvp discounts and lets my buy games that i dont have reserved that hes only supposed to give to his reserved buyers
November 7, 2008 at 1:11 pm
I always appreciate when people come to my blog and insult me. This is my blog and my opinion. Feel free to have a differing opinion, but why the insult?
If you think game crazy is great, that’s awesome. Write about it all you want. By the way, over 1400 people have read this post, not 10. Out of 1400 people, I think it’s feasible that have deterred one person from making a purchase. And if I didn’t, oh well. It’s just a blog.
November 9, 2008 at 5:00 pm
I just took my 7 year old to Game Crazy and they were selling a game with a price sticker of $4.99. When he went to pay they said the price was wrong and it was actually $14.99. They refused to honor the stickered price and all the kids in the store couldn’t care less about helping us. Game Crazy sucks. Serious lack of customer service focus in this branch.
November 10, 2008 at 6:38 pm
some of you guys are such retards one little thing effects everything you guys ever knew wow i wish i hadn’t read all you comments
November 30, 2008 at 9:21 am
I’ve worked in 3 Game Crazy’s with in the time period of a year and i can tell anyone like any other store. you cant except the same thing from each store one would like to but thats not how things work. all because one sucks doesn’t mean you have to bag on the others. and put your self in our shoes. not a week ago i caught some trying changing the price from one game with another one (for katatonia). and if so ask to talk with the smgr he or she has the final call on anything. also please have in mind we have price all the games you see on our walls by hand unlike game stop. back to topic. and how like every one else said were not aloud to hold anything its always 1st come 1st serve. and you dont have to place a deposit especially not for $700. you should had spoken to the smgr. and i just wanted to add i still shop at game stop even though i work at game crazy the one were i work really sucks but there is a really chill one a trip away from my place but just because the other sucked i dont bag on the chill one
December 8, 2008 at 9:23 am
My Game Crazy is is 20 miles from my house and i have a game stop only 12 miles away, but you know what i still have excellent service with my game crazy that i dont need game stop.
December 9, 2008 at 1:58 am
Game Crazy’s prices are better. Also they smell better than the Game Stop Employees.
December 9, 2008 at 2:45 pm
I like that you’re bashing GameCrazy and have not been there yourself. I like to form opinions based off of experiences first hand, rather then a story from a friend that may or may not have been embellished. Your story has no merit as it’s all hear say.
People who gripe of petty things most likely have little to no experience working retail. They are quick to blame and find nothing is their fault. What can be taken away from this, is that you are not the kind of customer any retailer would want to have for repeat business.
Facts
GameCrazy has a company wide preorder, return/exchange and defect policy. This can be found at the POS or on the back of your receipt.
The holidays are the busiest time of the year and normal curtosy calls can be missed
Stores are replenished product by their DC based on the timely sales of product. If this remained in their inventory it’s likely their next allocation would have been sent to another store the following week.
You insulted the store staff and over exaggerated the story that didn’t even happen to you.
I would recommend that everyone try GameCrazy and see for themselves then listen to this blow hard. I have tried many different game stores and found I like more then others. This can be said of all small stores. It depends on the staff and atmosphere. I like some EB games better then others and the same with GameStop and GameCrazy. This guy should stick to impression-less and impersonal online shopping and man the eff up. It happens so go find a store you do like.
December 9, 2008 at 2:48 pm
“I always appreciate when people come to my blog and insult me. This is my blog and my opinion. Feel free to have a differing opinion, but why the insult?”
You called the Store employee a pea brain and never went to the store. Your an ass. You also said they were stupid. I think people should take this into account when reading you “opinions”
December 11, 2008 at 1:58 pm
i have worked at gamecrazy for over four years now. i first started not expecting to stay for so long, but this isnt my only job now. i work there part time and enjoy working there. the reason for staying for so long isnt the employee discount or anything like that. it the customers, and for over four years i have met so many people and become good friends with alot of customers, and i am meeting tons more everyday and trying to make return customers and instill in them that gamecrazy isnt just another game store. and of course in my many years i have been there i have had mad customers and made customers mad but i do what i can to resolve the issue. every person has had a bad retail experience somewhere. whether it be a walmart, target, best buy, circuit city. the point is we cant let one experience ruin our outlook of the entire company, or write blogs on it. i know she was probably mad about the wii experience, but as everyone has said we cant hold hott items for a long time. i hope nobody reads this blog and gets a negative feel towards gamecrazy.
December 15, 2008 at 12:29 am
Brand new Gamecrazy salesperson here and that sounds like lunacy with the whole deposite thing and 700 bucks for a round trip… on 60 miles.. how many MPG does she get .4
December 28, 2008 at 1:06 pm
I think Gamecrazy sucks, too. They’re some of the biggest jerks I know. I could go buy a game down there for 40 bucks, but if I was selling it to them for store credit, I would get about 3 dollars back. *frumps* Also where I live, I thnk the guys down there would make a little more money if they were nicer, cuz I along with some people I know don’t ge there anymore. 😡
December 29, 2008 at 1:19 pm
I prefer GameCrazy any day to Gamestop or EB games. If you don’t like trade values sell them on ebay.
December 31, 2008 at 12:34 pm
trade values are based off of how many we have in stock, resale value, game popularity. what people dont know is say we trade in 50 copies of gta at $35 and we resale at $50 or $45 with mvp. say the price drops throughout the year and the used price goes down to $30 or $27 with mvp. we start losing money after awhile. plus we have sales and other offers throughout the year. take your game to gamestop or any other trading place. its the same anywhere. but ours is usually alot better. i am not biased. i used to shop at game stop alot before working at gamecrazy and i still go in there occasionally to check prices and see if their customer service is still crap. stop complaining. you are probably one of those people that buy a new sports game one year and goes to trade it in two years later expecting some sort of money for it.
December 31, 2008 at 2:30 pm
I guess that’s probably true. Is the whole MVP thing worth it? Are the deals good?
January 8, 2009 at 4:07 pm
Deals are ok. Look for deal when a new game comes out to save you some money. They will have %20 trade bumps when a big game comes out. If you trade frequently it’s worth it. Math is simple, if you buy and trade more then $100.00 in used games a year buy it. If not, don’t buy it.
Bryan I figured out you’re problem. You have a problem with GameCrazy because you are dealing with a life long issue of spelling your name wrong. You may think it’s crazy (game crazy) but I’m sure that little “y” in your name has caused some deep seeded childhood issues with your parents, and has cause your premature balding. The hair rejuvenation products are also causing ill temperament as a side effect. Seek help, I here there is a great supports group of Mathew’s in your area that want more then anything another “T” in their name.
January 11, 2009 at 12:00 pm
I hate them. I shopped there all the time. I went to trade in my GBA SP and a couple of games for a DS and they gave me a high price for the games but the gb was missing somthing so i sold it to a friend and 2 games and the price dropped 50% now i only shop at game stop or game crazy if i have a gift card
January 11, 2009 at 6:20 pm
First off Idk how the Wii was held since its against store and corporate policy. I believe that you are just bitter bitch and need to tell your friend to just find one herself. Nintendo doesn’t even allow systems to be held so u are making things up. Maybe if they were generous enough to hold it she should have picked it up that day. HER LOSS!!! lol
January 14, 2009 at 5:41 pm
If a company BENT OVER BACKWARDS for every pissed off customer then that company would never make any money because people are always trying to get something for free! I am a manager at a Game Crazy and have been for 4 years, if you called to see if your wii was in but then couldn’t pick it up that day, then why call in the first place! wii’s are in such high demand, that if i was waiting for one and i called a store and they told me that i had to pick it up that day, you bet i would have been there to get it! Every company has policies that HAVE to be followed, you can’t insult an employee for simply doing his job! Maybe you didnt get a call. . . . honest mistake. . . . .they are only human! and by the way, not every game crazy is like that! in fact unlike most places gamecrazy usually has things in stock that most retailers do not, and if they don’t then they can order it!
p.s if you want wal-mart customer service (bending over backwards for customers, when customers throw a fit, they get what they want). . . . . then try getting a wii at wal-mart =)
January 14, 2009 at 10:42 pm
Good idea. When I pick one up, I probably will get it at Wal-Mart. Better to have crappy service at a good price than crappy service at a high price. Death to Game Crazy!
January 15, 2009 at 6:59 am
your a real idiot! nintendo sets the price on the wii! not the retailer you shmuck, the price is the same EVERYWHERE! do some research pea brain!
January 16, 2009 at 9:48 am
Have you ever worked in retail or food service?
I didn’t think so
January 16, 2009 at 10:10 am
I can’t tell you how many times I would break our return policy or fudge the rules for a customer, while working as the store manager for Game Crazy. I’m interested to know what other bad experiences you have had while shopping there. The only example you bring up is that of your friends. I would be hard pressed to believe that you had worse customer service there, then of a big box store. My Game Crazy employees were taught to think customers first, and to ask qualifying questions to find the best suitable game. When time would permit we would also encourage the customer to try games (on our demo systems) before they buy. I had countless customers that I knew on a first and last name basis, and I know this was the case with all of my fellow managers in my district. Game Crazy employees are rated on their performance. Most likely you will be asked if there are any up coming games you want to pre order, or if you have the MVP card. These are all services built to better service the customer, not designed to sound like an insult. When pre ordering a game, they guarantee the title to come in. Big box stores often break release dates,
I have also had experience working at a big box store where my only role was to stock games, and point out games to customers. There were many time the answer would be “sorry Mr/Ms customer, all we have out is what we have”. In addition the employees hired are there only for something to do, and few have passion for their job. Most Game Crazy employees are gamers themselves, and because of this are the most qualified to help other gamers find something that they would enjoy.
Another great reason to shop at Game Crazy is that you can trade in older games for new games. You can’t trade in games at any big bog stores. When you purchase a new system from Game Crazy you also get 12 free movie or game rentals at Hollywood video.
My recommendation for you would be to shop at your local 7-11. Starting in 09’ they have announced they will be carrying games. Not having you shop at a local Game Crazy will only save you and the manager a headache. I agree that Game Crazy is not right for you, it’s unfair to damn all the stores to everyone else as it’s a much better choice for most other people passionate about games.
January 16, 2009 at 11:52 am
I love how you guys won’t include your name, email, or your blog with your comment. What are you afraid of? That I might insult you on your blog?
January 16, 2009 at 12:22 pm
You still haven’t answered the questions that the have been brought up by the “Spineless weasels of the world”. You’re no better, slinging insults right back. Calling someone names rather then supporting your argument, shows that you’re putting no thought into the very valid questions your blog readers post. I challenge you to respond to your readers questions and post something with substance.
January 16, 2009 at 5:11 pm
You’re right about the insults. I’m going to delete that comment of mine. It was uncalled for. The uncalled for insults to me? I’ll leave them. I don’t like to censor.
As for the questions, I could only find one really question: “Have you ever worked in retail or food service?”
The answer is no, but the question is irrelevant. I do have a lot of experience as a customer and that is relevant since I am criticizing from the consumer aspect.
Just like never having been president doesn’t mean I can’t criticize him.
January 16, 2009 at 5:24 pm
And hey, this isn’t my only consumer rant. See also:
HP Sucks: https://dadintheheadlights.wordpress.com/2008/01/11/hp-sucks/
Kohl’s Sucks: https://dadintheheadlights.wordpress.com/2007/12/20/kohls-sucks/
Fuddruckers Sucks: https://dadintheheadlights.wordpress.com/2007/11/30/3/
Lithia Sucks: https://dadintheheadlights.wordpress.com/2008/05/15/lithia-sucks/
Yes, the hatred just never ends…lol.
By the way, only 5 out of my 261 posts are about bad consumer experiences. It’s not what the blog is primarily about. I’m more about humor and family experiences. But I’m going to call out bad service when I get it.
January 17, 2009 at 7:21 am
Seems a Wii bit of an inflexible attitude. I used to work for a large computer store, and we often had people asking if we had Wii’s in stock (at the time they were in very limited supply, probably still are), but we’d always be happy to put one aside if we knew someone would be coming in for one especially (even if they couldn’t pick it up that day, and 100% if they left a deposit) But, in all honesty, the problem was with the general supply of the system, rather than the stores. In my experience, most stores try to do their best in a difficult situation.
January 17, 2009 at 7:27 am
I guess this is one case where the Wii remote doesn’t work that well. 🙂
January 26, 2009 at 4:33 pm
From this readers stand point it looks as though you like to call out bad customer service even when you’re not the shopper. I CAN appreciate all of the stories that involve your personal experience (i.e. HP sucks).
As for not working in retail or food service, I disagree and say “it’s completely relevant”. After dealing with many irate customers for reasons out of my control, I have a much easier time understanding disappointing situations. I think perspective is what’s missing from your rant about game crazy.
I don’t totally disagree with your statement about being able to criticize the president and not having been one yourself. Just the same I could criticize how you take care of your ranch, though I have no experience myself. Perhaps you would find my argument had little validity due to my lack of experience in ranching.
Or
Game Crazy was trying to get to you, through your friend, by way of some masterful plan! Muahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
With that said…never ever work retail….It’s a scary place
January 27, 2009 at 11:31 am
At the end of the day, it’s the store’s job to try to keep the customer well informed, customer relations is the key point here, that’s what they’re paid for. You don’t have to be the President to have an opinion on that!
January 27, 2009 at 12:14 pm
I agree Matt. Particularly in this economy, it’s going to be the businesses that provide excellent service that survive. The customer should always have the benefit of the doubt.
And despite my harsh (but accurate) criticism here in this forum, I am always polite in working with the folks in stores. I know they have no control over policies and are likely underpaid. I am not, as some have assumed because of my criticism, the customer from hell.
February 9, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Game Crazy rocks!!! They give you the most for trades and I always get good service. I can’t tell you how many times I have went in other stores and they act like I am not even there. At Game Crazy they always acknowledge me as soon as I walk in the door. They have been great. It is too bad your “friend” had such a bad time there.
February 19, 2009 at 6:03 am
I used to work for Game Crazy back in 2003, and let me tell you, I was ashamed of the company I worked for at times. Lots of times I remember not gettting in pre-ordered games for customers, and had to face hordes of angry customers when they come in on launch day and realize our shipment had not come in yet. The worst one was Soul Calibur II. We promised everyone we would have it on launch day, even ADVERTISED it! Launch day came, and the game was not there. Boy was I pissed. Just one of the reasons why I quit after working for them for only 6 months.
Fast forward to now. I pre-ordered Street Fighter IV there months ago. Launch day was Feb. 17. They had it ADVERTISED that they would have it in on the 17th. Well, as of Feb. 19, THE GAME WAS STILL NOT IN. I found that ridiculous. Plenty of other stores had it in on time, so there is no excuse as to why they didn’t have it. Nevertheless, I bought it at Gamestop (not too fond of them either, but hey at least they had the game on launch) and cancelled my pre-order at Game Crazy. The messed up part is, the teenagers working there seemed to not care less. I vow to never do business with them again.
February 20, 2009 at 12:43 pm
My copy of Street Fighter was in on time no problem at GameCrazy. In fact it was in before Best Buy had it. Even though I get a discount on games at my 2nd “for fun job” I constantly pre order obscure games at GameCrazy because Big Box stores frequently don’t carry them.
February 20, 2009 at 12:58 pm
Matthew: Do you work for Game Crazy? If so, someone needs to take a good look at the store in Northeast Philadelphia on Levick Street. They are really lacking.
February 26, 2009 at 3:59 pm
1-8 SPEAK TO US (1-877-325-8687)
Neuco: I used to manage an EB (Before the Game Stop take over), and I voluntarily left to managed a GameCrazy while finishing up school. I have had just about everything go wrong in my time of retail that you can think of. What a good or bad experience boils down to is how the management and sales associates handle difficult situations.
Customers will always find something to complain about, and rarely try to understand the situation from a stores perspective. My point of posting on here is to defend the companies I have worked for and argue that assumptions not be made based on a 2nd hand story.
If you are blown away with the quality of service (good or bad) call the customer service number. Stores have no way of checking, altering, or deleting these messages. Do not call the store and complain, it will do you no good. The number to call for Game Crazy is 1-8 SPEAK TO US (1-877-325-8687). The messages get sent to district managers who then take proper action. I would also encourage customers to call when they have great customer service. Many people expect exceptional customer service, and when they get it, forget to repay the favor. Angry customers are much more likely to take the time out and complain then a satisfied customer who had a wonderful experience.
February 27, 2009 at 8:47 pm
Matthew: Thanks. Like I mentioned before, I also used to work for Game Crazy, but never management. It just got embarrassing when I would ask customers to pre-order something we didn’t get on time. Now, in these economic times, I really hope the stores with the better customer service are the ones to stay afloat, and the stores run by teenagers with the I-dont-care attitude are the ones to go under. Then it will show that the customers are the ones who really are in control. I understand that sometimes the customer isn’t always right, but management should still aim to hire those who want to excel at customer service (and maybe know a little about the products they are selling) rather then looking for the first teenager who will work for minimum wage and grunt their way through work.
March 3, 2009 at 9:37 pm
1. Wishlisted items cost nothing. Only pre-orders.
2. Try getting ANY store to hold a Wii for 3 ADDITIONAL days.
3. Don’t judge a store you have never been to.
4. Don’t judge a company based on one store/one employee
5. Also, you referred to the representative as friendly, and he was only following the rules of his company.
6. She didn’t want to pay for gas that day? But it would have been fine a couple days later? If your friend needs to wait to be paid again before filling her tank, then she probably shouldn’t be buying a Wii.
7. If this article were written about Gamestop, it would read: “I wanted relate an experience a good friend had with Gamestop. She wanted to pick up a Nintendo Wii, but the local Gamestop was out. However, she got placed on a waiting list by leaving a deposit. The store promised to call when the unit arrived. After waiting quite some time, she called the store to get a status. The rude representative said that the unit was in and that she needed to pick it up that day. She asked for a few days since she didn’t have the time that day, nor did she want to pay the $700 in gas it would have taken to make the 60 mile round trip. The rude representative refused. They said the unit had already been in for 3 days, so they already sold it. My friend explained that she never received a notification that it had arrived. She wasn’t asking for any special treatment–just the 3 days to pick it up that they were offering everyone else. The pea brain store representative couldn’t get it through their skull what she was trying to explain and insisted that the Wii is an inferior system and they had sold it to someone else.”
March 3, 2009 at 9:52 pm
I have 2 more facts to kindly add. Google “Gamestop Sucks”, you will get 4,580 results. Google “Game Crazy Sucks”….10.
Happy Complaining!
Cheers
March 5, 2009 at 3:47 am
hah fuckin’ dumbass.
March 6, 2009 at 12:17 pm
Anonymous: Your stellar intelligence really shines through here with your thoughtful commentary.
March 9, 2009 at 1:51 am
Gamecrazy DOES suck. Bought my grandson a 360 pro at x-mas. less than 3 month and it broke down. I had bought the extended warranty for a new replacement unit if it breaks down. A**holes refused to honor their policy. They say I have to send it to microsoft as I have a 1 year manufacture warrenty (there is no such thing as a 1 yr manufacturer warranty). Now I have to take time away from my business to go see the store manager then contact the distric rep if not resolved. I am sorry but you can blame the company for 1 store and 1 employee. The employee and the store are agents of that company. They represent the company as a whole. After spending approx. $1000.00 for a system, accessories and games less than 3 months ago, I would have thought that they would like return customers. OBVIOUSLY not. I DON’T need their business, they need mine. I will NEVER go into a Gamecrazy again. I can get what I need at other businesses. Game crazy sucks not once but multiple times. Their employees Lied to me multiple times, are arrogant, ignorant, and most likely still live in mommy’s basement. The store I am dealing with in in Cameron Park, California. If you think you hate them now, Wait until you do business with them. Does used car salesman ring a bell??
May 12, 2009 at 11:51 pm
Actually, Microsoft does have a 1 year system warranty with all NEW Xbox 360 units, and a 3 year warranty if it has three red rings.
Game Crazy’s warranty does not override Microsoft’s, so if you bought an extended warranty that would cover the second year. (One year through Microsoft then the second through the store).
Now if you wanted to take it back directly to the store, you should have purchased a used unit with an extended warranty. With that, you have 15 months directly from the store for a cheaper price and will not have to deal with microsoft at all.
In all terms, most employees hate the manufacturer warranty and would more than likely WANT to take the system back for a customer the first year and replace it; but due to rules via Microsoft (not GameCrazy), they MUST be returned to manufacturer the first year. Every store is like this. Not just GameCrazy. Gamestop, Wal-mart, Target, ect… Each will refer you to the manufacturer. If you have a problem with this, you can actually contact microsoft themselves at 1-800-4-MYXBOX and talk to one of their representatives. If you still have a problem with this policy that I can assure you is enforced with every customer (they are not just trying to piss you off, sadly) you can contact a district manager for the GameCrazy stores at 1-8-SPEAK-TO-US
March 9, 2009 at 5:58 am
@ “gamecrazy really does suck”: Microsoft actually has a 3 year warranty on systems that die becuase of the “Red Rings Of Death”. If you do not know what that is I would suggest Googling it. Regardless of the fact, you are correct, if the store sold you an extended warranty, they should have honored it and replaced your system, no questions asked. Address this to the district manager if the store manager will not help you. They either have to give you another system or refund you whatever you paid for the warranty.
March 9, 2009 at 10:29 am
I’m sorry to hear that your xbox failed after 3 months. I’m currently on my 3rd system so I can empathize. Microsoft does cover the system for 1 year of normal system defects. Recently they have extended a limited part of the warranty to cover the “red ring of death” for a total of three years. The warranty you purchased from Game Crazy covers the system for an additional 12-24 months AFTER the 1year manufacturer’s warranty. [1 800 4 my xbox (1-800-469-9269) http://www.xbox.com/support%5D
If you had purchased this from any other store, the story would be the same. GameStop and EB warranties are nearly identical to Game Crazy. Best Buy is the only over the counter replacement plan that I know of. Game Crazy, GameStop, and EB, cover the system for 2 years after the manufactures warranty for a total of three years coverage. Only after the first year will they replace the unit over the counter. Best Buy covers the system for 2 years total but will replace the console from day one.
I think the hostility should be directed to Microsoft. Game Crazy did not make the shotty system; they just offer a replacement plan. If they lied to you and said you could replace it right away I would absolutely get your money back on the warranty. It’s not a huge deal to go though Microsoft for repair, it takes a week. Just be sure to keep your invoice if they replace your system. You need to have that document proving your serial number has changed for Game Crazy to replace the exchanged unit.
I’m going to make a generalized statement about all specialty game stores. All of their return policies suck. 7 days unopened for full refund is a crock. Let’s make it at least 14 days to meet the Target’s, various (blank) Marts, and Best Buy’s. Why not make it 30 to match Costco’s standard.
Do I think they should replace your system after 90 days…? Absolutely, but in retail it just doesn’t work that way. See the above post I made with the customer service numbers for Game Crazy.
I know I have been defending Game Crazy in a lot of my posts, but you hit a sweet spot. Game Crazy could be stealing business from their competitors if they would go the extra mile and think of the customer first. Every time I walk into a Game Crazy they seem to be assimilating the competitors look, feel, and outrageous mentality of screw the customer let’s make a buck today. I still like Game Crazy more than Game Stop and EB but the margin is slimming.
Come on Game Crazy, we liked you so much more because you were different than the rest.
March 9, 2009 at 5:39 pm
Matthew: That must be a recent policy change, because I bought my 360 in December 2005, and it died June 2006 via 3 Red Rings. I bought the extended warranty and they exchanged it over the counter, no questions asked. If what you explained is how they really do their warranties, I would never buy one from them ever again.
March 19, 2009 at 4:48 pm
I guess you do not understand the term “Extended Warranty” the extended means that it extends the warranty after the manufacturer’s warranty.
March 20, 2009 at 4:16 am
JR: Was that directed at me? If so, then YOU don’t understand. I can’t make it any clearer: THEY EXCHANGED MY SYSTEM WITH NO QUESTIONS ASKED. I’ve been buying extended warranties since the Dreamcast at various game stores, and like I already mentioned before (if you even read my previous posts) I used to work for Game Crazy back in 2003, and this was the way it was always done. Granted I have not had to exchange anything since 2006, so like I said, this must be a recent policy change.
March 22, 2009 at 6:58 am
and compared to Play and Trade ?
April 5, 2009 at 9:15 am
any body who hates game crazy has some serious problems the only reasone u didnt get the call is beceuse the probably called ether your home phone when u werent there, called when your cell was off ,when u were at a movie , in any temple church and so on, or at a event. So if ur gonna talk smack than u are FUCKING STUPID ASSHOLES and dont judje the spelling or ill kik ur but dip shits,but every one that likes game crazy ur all right.
April 5, 2009 at 5:49 pm
Wow, that was a very intelligent, well-thought-out argument you made. And I’ll judge the spelling if I want thanks. Your lack of any useful education is glaringly obvious.
April 6, 2009 at 10:35 am
Extended warranties are exactly as they sound. They extend from the manufacturers warranty. You say that you have had no problems with switching out your systems. The reason is the the manager bending store policy to not get in confrontations with customers. It is very well stated in the warranty that the manufacturer covers it then we cover it the following years. It is illegal to run a warranty concurrent to the manufacturers. Best buy does it because they take the systems back and store them in a warehouse until the manufacturers warranty is up then claim the their warranty. I would rather have my system covered for two years, one manufacturer and one Gamecrazy, than having a one year replacement plan. Two years is better than one. So what if you have to wait a month. Life will go on and you won’t die without your system.
April 7, 2009 at 9:08 am
shout out to my girl lezbian_tina on cod . met her at gamecrazy in york pa . mad cool chick
April 7, 2009 at 9:19 am
Civicsi2404: I guess so, but funny thing that, when I used to work for Game Crazy back in 2003, my manager told me how to pitch the warranties: buy the warranty, and if anything happens to it within the coverage period, bring it back and we will replace it. Granted, it was only good for one return, and if the person wanted to extend it past THAT period, they would have to buy another warranty. So for example, if someone bought a one year warranty for a system, then brought it back a month later, that was it. No more returns for that system unless they bought another warranty. I don’t know if my manager was bending the rules or what, but that’s the only experience I had.
August 29, 2009 at 1:29 am
My local Game Crazy is a hit or miss… more of a miss than anything. I bought a new Wii from them two years ago because they were the only place in my area that had one. A year later I bought a used 360 from them and the gentleman behind the counter was very nice(although i bought a used pro and I didn’t get a wireless controller). Now, a month ago I had to take the 360 in because it would not read games… the manager accused me of lying because I was a two weeks away from my extended warranty running out and was told that I would be put on a waiting list because they didn’t have any used systems to replace mine with. I called corporate because A) the manager was rude and B) I wanted my system. Corporate got on the phone with the store and lined me up with a system they had just got in. I drive 15 minutes there and the idiot behind the counter promises me a real pro with a wireless controller.. well this is after it doesn’t ring up right and he calls the same manager the I complained about(this is after the idiot kept telling me that his manager meant no harm in our lat encounter, which leads me to believe that he called the store) who tells him that I don’t get THAT used pro, I get the core system. Now that’s cool and all, I’m not a fighter, but it took this guy an hour and a half to ring one customer up, so I was stuck there for two hours. I was ready right then and there to never step foot into that store again. A month into having this replaced system I get the Red Ring. So I call the store and get the same manager and he is cool. The next day, after a long day at work, I take my 360 in to get replaced and I’m treated like a complete piece of crap. I walk in and explain the situation and every other word out of my mouth is followed by this manager saying, “yeah” like he is trying to move me along… and then, when I tell him I cant afford to spend $60 bucks on the extended warranty, he says, “Alright, dude.” I’m peeved at this point and I just want to leave, so I say, have a nice day and he doesn’t even respond. I will never go back to a Game Crazy.
September 23, 2009 at 4:56 am
Well, where to start. First off the original post is old, so I’m sure the initial frustration is long gone. Secondly, I’m a store manager for a Game Crazy in California, who is leaving the company. While there are some saving graces in their favor, I find myself leaving with a bad taste in my mouth. Their largest problem is that they’re run by Movie Gallery Inc. These are the very same geniuses that run the very outdated movie rental stores such as Hollywood Video. Why is that a problem? Well, let’s come right out and say that their lack of innovation and obvious emulation of successful companies (i.e. GameStop, and ummm what’s that big one putting the movie rental side out of business? Oh yeah! Netflix!) make them out to be the mentally handicapped stepchild of the marketplace. Then there’s the fact that their software and computer systems are so ancient that they couldn’t even run Oregon Trail, lest I even begin to mention that the entire operating system is also designed for a terrible video rental store. but, enough of that.
To be fair to the “pea brain” employee you do actually have to understand that you’re talking to a minimum wage earning gamer who has been indoctrinated to sell everything as fast as possible to compete with other stores. This may sound a bit far fetched, but I assure you, the associate your friend encountered would have been written up by his or her manager had they held the system for her. Not that it makes it any less ridiculous or inconvenient for your friend, but that is the reality of their job. Take yesterday for instance. We had a fairly large game launch in limited quantities, and I was instructed to sell every copy I had in store to anyone who asked. This is after I spent the last three months giving my customers the “guarantee” their game would be in stock with their deposit. As for me, I’m not going to disobey my boss, but at the same time, I was left looking like a fool and had to apologize to every that was disappointed that they didn’t receive their game.
If the associate was rude, that’s fair, but there may have been extenuating circumstances. Maybe cut the kid behind the counter some slack, and give the grief to the root of the problem.
October 16, 2009 at 9:27 am
Well, if its any consolation,
200 or So Game Crazy stores are closing.
Personally, I’m happy for it because both companies (HV and GC) in my opinion are horrible. If I had known what I know now about the company I never would have worked for them.
October 18, 2009 at 8:55 pm
@ Former Hollywood Employee: Yeah, the HV/GC near me closed too, and I couldn’t be happier as well. Good riddance.
December 30, 2009 at 5:56 pm
From what I could tell, Bryan is a typical consumer. He has no aspect of customer/retailer relations, no aspect of how to run a business, and no aspect of free speech. It’s funny how he posted a grammar ridden rant on a public blog for all of the world to see attacking a giant chain with thousands of employees and expects no one to fire back at him. News flash, most customers are pretentious blow hards who have no idea or conception on how to run a profitable business, instead they bitch and moan about how evil a corporation is and or how stupid the company’s staff is without realizing how hard it is to operate a business. He most likely works in a office or something, goes home and complains about how hard he works and bitches about incompetent coworkers not filing papers correctly. PS I have never been in a gamecrazy.
March 13, 2010 at 8:51 am
I agree with you my friend went there and he paid them 70 $ for a game cube remote .It was only a total rip off. Your right!
September 1, 2010 at 2:51 pm
Screw game crazy, movie gallary, and hollywood video that why they all went outta business…
September 1, 2010 at 2:53 pm
oh yeah and ps…I have a friend who works there he is one of the good ones and they screwed him out of his last check…If they treat there employees that way how do you think they “care” about the customers?
October 20, 2010 at 4:22 pm
What a bozo. 700 bucks in gas…dumbASS
May 22, 2011 at 12:26 pm
The game crazy over here is alright, i mean the people there are just trying to make money like everyone else. If a employee is rude, its probably been a bad day. GRANTED i most likely wouldn’t go back but if someone comes in the next day they will probably have a different experience. O YEAH i think its funny when you say you have teens working behind the counter,over here the guys like 45 at least! lol
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